Whether for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any other time of the year, greens are amazingly versatile. They're flavorful, resilient, make a great presentation and most importantly they're nutrient dense. This recipe will take these simple, unassuming green friendlies and transform them into a culinary masterpiece. There are 3 main items, 3 main components and 3 main steps to take to create this mouthwatering meal virtually in minutes.

Here's what you're gonna need [you'll notice the glaze ingredients are the same for both just reduced to half in the greens]:

Tofu Glaze Ingredients
1/3 cup Maple Syrup
2 tbsp Mustard
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp Tomato Paste
1/2 tsp Crushed Garlic

Tofu Prep Ingredients
1 lb Extra Firm Organic Tofu
2 tsp Steak & Chop Grill & Broil Seasoning
2 tsp Poultry Grill & Broil
2 tsp Barbecue Grill & Broil
1 large Onion [I prefer yellow/brown] or 2-3 Shallots diced [enough to add up to 1-1 1/2 cups]
1-2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt [to taste]

Greens Glaze Ingredients
1/6 cup Maple Syrup
1 tbsp Mustard
1/8 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 tbsp Tomato Paste
1/4 tsp Crushed Garlic

Greens Prep Ingredients
1 lb Mixed Greens chiffonade [Collards, Kale, Mustard, etc.]
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion or Shallots diced [enough to add up to 1 cup]
Sea Salt to taste

Here's what you're gonna do:

For the tofu, heat a large skillet and add your oil and onions/shallots. Sprinkle a generous pinch of salt on the contents and toss or stir making sure everything's evenly coated and beginning to brown. Add seasonings, toss and crumble tofu into skillet. Stir and let it cook down periodically allowing the contents to lightly adhere to the pan. Scrape with hard, heat tolerant, spatula [wooden, plastic, silicone, etc] continuing the process until the desired consistency is reached [like that of ground meat]. Add glaze and stir, evenly coating your tofu. Allow to reduce for 3-5 minutes making sure not to let it burn. When done, put aside reserving for greens, or, if you're pre-prepping it [which I recommend], place in an ice bath to rapidly bring down temperature and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. [See ice bath method link at the end of article.]

For the greens, heat a large skillet and add you oil, onions and salt [a generous pinch]. Add your greens ribbons [chiffonade - it's a french word meaning made of rags. What you do is take your cleaned greens, stack'em, roll'em (into a cigar shape) and cut'em crosswise into thin ribbons.] tossing and incorporating until bright green and tender. Add glaze sauce. Do a few quick tosses and let reduce for about a minute or two add glazed tofu and heat through or you can place your glazed greens on their serving platter and mound the glazed tofu in the middle of it. It's up to you and both scenarios are sure to please. It's truly a meal in and of itself.

For ice bath, fill a sink/tub with ice and water and submerge your container containing the item needing rapid cooling and stir to dissipate heat. It will shorten your cooling time from hours down to minutes when done correctly.

For more information or to have one of your questions answered, drop me a line, stop by my forum, join my Vegetarian Resource Newsletter and definitely stay tuned in as I bring you more articles to help you effortlessly achieve your best, health, well being and wholeness throughout the life of your diet.

As always... It's been my pleasure sharing with you. Until next time...